Kieran Donaghy with little Ella O’Donoghue from Killarney promoting the Glow Hearts 4 Crumlin charity at Austin Stack Park on Friday. Photo by Dermot Crean
A CHARITY campaign which raised thousands of euro for Crumlin Children’s Hospital this week, got another great boost on Friday when the Kerry team lent their support to the cause.
The ‘Glow Hearts 4 Crumlin’ group, made up of six mothers of children who each have a child that was born with a congenital heart defect (CHD), got together to help raise funds for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin and Ronald McDonald House (see previous story here).
Their first major fundraiser was held on Thursday when they encouraged schools and businesses to wear red for the day and make a small cash contribution.
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It was an enormous success with CBS Clounalour, Presentation, Holy Family, St Ita’s and St Joseph’s among the 50 schools and businesses around the county taking part, raising in the region of €10,000.
“We were overwhelmed with response yesterday,” said one of the mums, Jenny Pye, from Tralee.
“It was so successful. The effort that the schools made was amazing and we didn’t realise it would take off the way it has. Each day more and more businesses are getting involved, so it’s getting bigger and bigger and we’re delighted with it,” added Jenny.
Two of the mums, Sinead O’Connor and Sonya Doyle from Tralee approached Kieran Donaghy about the charity and another member of the group, Gillian O’Donoghue from Killarney, also contacted members of Kerry GAA about getting involved.
Their efforts came to fruition on Friday when Kerry GAA management and officials joined Kieran Donaghy and the rest of the Kerry team – many wearing red – in posing for a photo before their training session on Friday at Austin Stack Park.
“The Kerry team lending their support is huge. Every little bit of promotion helps,” said Jenny.
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The Kerry team, management and officials lend a hand to the Glow Hearts 4 Crumlin group at Austin Stack Park yesterday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Now the mums are preparing for the next major event which is an 80s/90s music, UV/glow party disco at McSorley’s Nightclub, Killarney on Friday, April 17 at 9.30pm.
Tickets are priced at €10 and are available at the door on the night
For more information and some great photos from Thursday’s event, go to their Facebook page here
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The six mums who founded ‘Glow Hearts 4 Crumlin’ with their children who were born with a congenital heart defect. Front from left; Sean Dowling, Oisin Malone Walker and Ciaran Doyle. Middle row; Sinead O’Connor, Gillian and Ella O’Donoghue and Jenny Pye and Sadie O’Donovan. Back row; Sinead Malone Walker, Sonya Doyle, Sharon Brosnan and Dylan Brosnan. Photo by Dermot Crean
There was a huge welcome for the Glowhearts4Crumlin mums today!
CBS staff and pupils gave great support to the wear red for ‘Glow Hearts 4 Crumlin’ on Thursday.CBS pupils give the thumbs up for wear red for ‘Glow Hearts 4 Crumlin’ day on Thursday.Holy Family pupils give support for wear red for ‘Glow Hearts 4 Crumlin’ day on Thursday.Holy Family pupils give support for wear red for ‘Glow Hearts 4 Crumlin’ day on Thursday
